Hello Fellow Netizens!
As many of you do, when I feel bored at home with my phone on hand I browse the internet for entertaining videos. The video above got my attention and after watching it fully, I thought: “Wow, I guess I will never get the chance to own a home of my own.” As depressing as that sounds, I also began to wonder about what the consequences are on our health if we are unable to afford and obtain housing. Is housing not just a socioeconomic issue, but a public health issue as well?
Housing: Some Background
Before we dive into the nitty gritty of the matter, let us establish some facts about housing in the United States.
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has some great resources on the state of the housing market and publishes monthly updates. Here are some findings from their report for March of 2024:
- Annual house prices rose in January of this year, with increases ranging from 6.3 to 6.6 percent
- Between early February to early March, 5.3 million renter households were behind on their rental payments, up slightly from 11.4 percent (or 5.2 million) one year ago
- Approximately 5.40 percent (or 4.45 million) homeowner households were behind on their mortgage payments in February, up from 5.16 percent (or 4.26 million) year over year.
- Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages (FRM) fluctuated in March and are near 7 percent, which is near 4 percent higher than rates from January 2021.
Additionally, according to a news report from Axios in 2023, the US is short around 3.2 million homes. This low supply has not kept up with high demands for homes, which contribute to the high prices currently seen in houses up for sale in many parts of the country.
Health and Home
Based on the facts above, here are some things that stood out for me when I read the reports: the cost of housing is rising, there is a lack of supply for housing, mortgages are at an all-time high, and millions of Americans were behind on either rent or their mortgage payments. So, how does all of this relate to health?
The US Department of Health and Human Services has a great summary of the impact that housing (more specifically, housing instability) has on our health. They have a report that encompasses crucial points, some of which I will summarize below:
- High rents or mortgages can cause a family to divert money away from healthcare items or visits in order to prioritize staying in their homes.
- Low income households have higher risk of living in homes that are considered unsafe to live in, meaning that they may live in less maintained buildings that could expose them to mold, insects, rodents, etc.
- Homelessness is linked with higher rates of chronic diseases (diabetes, hypertension, asthma), mental conditions (depression, substance abuse disorders) and even premature death compared to the general population.
- Risk of eviction, especially for low income families, disrupt their neighborhood ties and can affect what healthcare-related resources they are able to access. It is commonly acknowledged that where you live (a.k.a your ZIP code) influences your health outcomes; click here to read an article from Harvard for an example.
Why Should I Care?
It is no secret in the United States that we have a housing crisis; almost everyone feels it and pays for it (unless you’re super rich, which in that case this article doesn’t apply to you). In the Washington D.C. area where I currently live, rent for a studio apartment can easily go beyond $2,000; luckily I was able to find a place within in my budget but it took months of hunting around for a good deal.
You may be wondering: “Well, what can we do about this?” Several solutions have been proposed, and some of the major ones include the following:
- Increasing the amount of houses in the market (we have an issue of supply and demand); this sentiment was supported by the US Government Accountability Office in an article they published in 2023 as part of recommendations they proposed to the HUD.
- Rent control: local or state policies that control the rent amount a landlord can impose on their tenants (be it a permanent maximum cap, or a limit at a given time period). This is highly controversial and continues to be an issue of debate; click here to learn more from the Urban Institute.
- Proposing wage increases (I know, another highly charged option) could help the issue as many parts of the US saw more increases in house prices compared to wages. Click here to see an article by USAFacts to learn more.
Writing this piece made me personally more aware of how far we still have to go in making sure that everyone has equitable access to housing. If we as a nation are not able to find or agree on solutions, our health will certainly suffer for it.
PS: Sorry to end on a downer, but I hope you learned something at least. As a consolation, please enjoy the following satire strip by Barry Deutsch (check his website here).
Stay Safe Fellow Netizens!
Featured Image: Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-blue-and-gray-concrete-building-164338/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s own opinions and statements. They do not reflect the opinions or stances of any organization affiliated with the author.
Wonderful article. You will make a knowledgeable and caring doctor one day.